by Hahn, Joni
Nodding, Cass went around the side of the truck. “We need to make sure he’s out.” She heard Rachel behind her. “We don’t want him sneaking up on them.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
Whipping around, Cass saw Aidan emerge from the darkness, Tristan at his side. She flew into Aidan’s arms, careful not to hurt his side. She gave him a hard, open-mouthed kiss, her heart pumping wildly.
He pulled away. “Are you okay?” He gave her a quick perusal. “What the hell is this?” He nodded at her cleavage. “Did they touch you?”
Tristan pulled away from Rachel to tug up her shirt. “So help me, Rachel, if they touched you…”
Exchanging a glance with her sister, Cass cleared her throat. “No, we had to um, distract them before you got here.”
Aidan stood deathly still, his face a mask of you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me. Glancing at Tristan, he had the same dumbfounded look.
“Tris…” Rachel skimmed her hands up his chest to wrap around his neck. “We had to use whatever means necessary to stay safe.”
He shook his head. “Not only no, but hell no, Rachel.” Picking her up, Tristan covered her mouth with his.
Giving Aidan her hottest, come-and-get-me smile, Cass gave him a wet, explicit kiss. “Everyone knows a super-agent uses whatever weapons are at her disposal.”
Tristan and Rachel broke away with a laugh.
Aidan shook his head adamantly. “You had better just put that thought right out of your head. You’re mine now, and no man, I mean no man, will be on the receiving end of that…” He nodded at Cass’s exposed cleavage. “…but me.”
“Oh, I’m yours now, huh?” She placed a butterfly kiss at his dimple.
Running his hands down the back of her hair, Aidan held her against him, his tone serious. “I need you, Cass.”
She stilled, surprised at Aidan’s sudden change of voice. “You have me.”
He gave her that gorgeous grin of his that made her heart pound. “I love you.” He kissed the palm of her hand.
On the inside, Cass jumped up and down and screamed at the top of her lungs. He loved her. Aidan Monroe loved her. The man that wasn’t afraid of her father, the man that supported her dreams, the man that she loved more than anything in the world.
“Are you sure?”
Pulling back his head, Aidan’s voice rose. “Of course, I’m sure.”
“Well, don’t get mad. I mean, you said you don’t do relationships. I just want to make sure.”
He stepped away from her. “Hey, if you’re unsure, just say no.”
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him back to her. “Aidan Monroe, I-“
“Monroe.”
Dar’s deep voice interrupted them. What was he doing on a D.I.R.E. airwave?
Glancing down at his armband, Aidan looked at Tristan before he spoke into it. “Naylor. What’s up? Why are you calling me on this frequency?”
“Is Cass with you?”
Her heart stopped. What had happened? Had her father taken a turn for the worst? Had he died?
Aidan’s gaze shot to her. “Yes.”
“Are you holding onto her?”
Tugging her close, he kissed her temple. “I am. What’s this all about, Naylor?”
“Sis, someone dumped a man about a mile away from the D.I.R.E. compound. He’s in bad shape, but alive.”
She frowned at Aidan. Someone would have to drive miles out of their way to dump someone in the desert surrounding the D.I.R.E. compound. It had to be intentional.
“And, why is that important to me?”
“It’s Riordan St. James.”
#####
Aidan sat on the edge of his hospital bed, fresh stitches in his side. The urge to puke had returned to haunt him, but for an entirely different reason.
He was going to lose Cass – if he hadn’t already.
Tristan had teleported her back first so she could see St. James for herself. Aidan had been afraid to find her since. He didn’t know if he could stomach hearing the words aloud. He’d never been good at rejection and with Cass, he thought it just might kill him.
“Monroe.”
Looking over his shoulder, Aidan watched Dar and Tristan walk inside his room. Based on the serious looks they gave him, he needed to keep the trash can near. He had a feeling he would need it.
He stood to face them. “Cass?”
Tristan stood, hands on hips. “She’s talking to Dr. Garner. Rachel is with her. St. James has been beaten. A lot. He’s got a couple of cracked ribs, a concussion and a sprained ankle. At some point, someone did a fly-by-night surgery to remove his appendix. He’s underweight and dehydrated.”
“Conscious?” Aidan had to know.
Dar shook his head. “No. The guy is lucky to be alive. He’s half the man I remember.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You know my father did this.”
Aidan sighed. He knew. Robert Naylor had sent St. James to D.I.R.E. to put an end to Aidan’s relationship with Cass. Instead of killing St. James for falling in love with Cass, he’d shipped him off to a four-star hell hole to teach him a lesson.
Bringing him back three years later had been a brilliant move. Naylor knew his daughter well. Cass would never desert St. James while he suffered like this.
“The only reason your father is still alive is because Cass would hate me. It’s taken all I have to stay in here.”
Dar said, “I’m sure he’s gloating. But, what he doesn’t realize is that my sister is crazy about you. Bringing back St. James won’t change that.”
Turning away, Aidan’s gut clenched. She didn’t return his vow of love earlier. Maybe she didn’t love him the way he loved her.
“I’m not so sure.”
Dar glowered at him. “If you believe that, you’re an idiot.”
“He sure is.”
Cass entered the room, Rachel beside her. Circling around Tristan and Dar, Rachel stopped beside Jacobs. Cass moved farther into the room and halted in front of Aidan.
“May we have some privacy, please?” Cass looked back at the others.
They filed out in a rush, the door shutting behind them.
Turning back to Aidan, Cass crossed her arms over her chest. “What is wrong with you, Aidan Monroe?”
Mimicking her pose, he glared back at her. “What are you talking about?”
“If we’re going to do this…” She pointed back and forth between them, “…you have to be there for me, no matter what.”
“I am here for you, no matter what.”
“Oh really? Well, I don’t remember you beside me the last hour or two outside of Riordan’s room. And by the way, sending your sister doesn’t count.”
Did she really think he could witness some happy reunion between them without losing it?
“I will be there for you, Cass. For anything.” Shaking his head, he lowered his arms. “But supporting a reconciliation with your long-lost boyfriend is beyond my powers.”
“Reconciliation?”
With a hand at his chest, she pushed him back to the bed. Sitting down, Aidan stared up into her beautiful violet-blue eyes.
“Aidan Monroe…” Her soft hand lay against his cheek. “I love you beyond reason. Nothing and no one will change that.”
Climbing onto his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck. His bare hands skimmed up back. God, it felt good to hold her.
Lying back on the bed, he brought her down on top of him. The sweet smile on her face made him want to whoop aloud.
“For the record,” he said, “before someone else shows up, we’re officially a couple.”
Grinning, she leaned down and gave him a kiss that would’ve melted his titanium suit. His palms kneaded her firm backside, his manhood reminding him it had been deprived.
She rubbed her hips against him. “Aidan Monroe, we cannot have sex. You’re in no condition.”
He flipped her onto her back. “If I can create the fireworks display I put on tonight, I can have se
x.”
Grabbing the waistband of his shorts, she lowered them down his legs. “Mmm, good. I’m counting on seeing some fireworks myself.”
#####
Kate sat across from Robert at the table in his room. He loved having her at his beck and call. Any day now, he’d get her in that hospital bed and remind her of how good it had been between them.
Setting a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of him, she speared a piece of melon on her own plate.
“The agents gave me some interesting information.”
Robert sat back with a grin. St. James must’ve shown up. It had taken some work, but he’d managed to get St. James out of that Mongolian prison in the nick of time.
“What? Tell me.”
“Cassandra’s long-lost boyfriend was dumped a mile from here. I don’t suppose you had anything to do with that?” She gave him knowing smirk.
He gave a feigned gasp. “Really? How is he?”
“Unconscious. Badly beaten. Malnourished.”
Robert took a sip of coffee. They’d done their job.
“That’s too bad.”
She stared at him, concern in her beautiful green eyes. “If he lives, he’ll come after you.”
“He’s already served his purpose.” Robert took a bite of his pancakes and swallowed them down. “I can handle anything from here.”
“They also said Mitchell got passed out drunk last night.”
Robert stilled, mouth agape. Now that was news. Mitchell Jacobs never lost control. Never showed weakness.
Well, other than Angela.
“Why?”
Swallowing down a bite of food, Kate shook her head. “I don’t know.”
He needed to strike now, while Mitchell remained weak. Something had happened. Something big. If Robert could find out what that was, he could finally bring him down.
“I need to get out of here, Kate. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Kate met his gaze. “I’ll help you.”
Robert had hoped she’d say that. He didn’t want to go through losing her again.
“You will?”
Rising from her chair, Kate went around the table and sat in Robert’s lap. His erection was immediate and rock hard.
“On two conditions.” Unbuttoning her blouse, Kate shrugged out of it to reveal a black bra of satin and lace.
Kate’s breasts had always turned him on. She hadn’t lost her appeal in the last twenty-five years.
Taking in his fill of her, Robert’s breath came in rapid spurts. “Anything.”
Trailing her tongue over Robert’s bottom lip, Kate toyed with his dry, hungry lips. Crushing his mouth to hers, he knocked the dishes to the ground and laid her back on the table.
“I want the gold, Bobby, or Jim’s money.” She gripped his bare manhood in her fist. “Or both. I’m tired of living poor.”
Groaning, Robert shut his eyes, willing his near climax to die.
“And Mitchell…” She wrapped her legs around Robert and took him deep inside her. “…I want you to make him pay.”
About the Author
By day, award-winning author, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered HR manager and accounting generalist. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world… or getting into his costume. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love (other than the rear shot of Chris Evans in The Avengers - that was pretty darn exhilarating). A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music.
You can find Joni online at: jonihahn.com.
Currently available in The D.I.R.E. Agency Series:
Book 1: Agent I1: Tristan
Book 3: Agent T3: d’Artagnan
The Agency is always recruiting.
Look for more hot, D.I.R.E. agents coming soon!
The D.I.R.E. Agency
Superheroes born with attitude, created with science
Keep reading for a Sneak Peek of Agent T3: d’Artagnan
Prologue
“We need to get her into radiology for a CT scan.”
She hovered on her back, a brisk, cool breeze washing over her face and arms. Billowy, white clouds floated past her at a leisurely pace, the scent of antiseptic stinging her nose. She fluctuated between severe pain and peace, wincing when the former bombarded her with rugged persistence. Impatience and fear held her nerve endings captive, though why, she didn’t know.
A woman’s voice sounded near her ear. “We’re wait-“
“Doctor Brentwood...”
Another woman’s voice intruded, the swish of her clothing loud in the sudden silence. Her voice held a much higher pitch than the other, marked with a hint of alarm.
“According to the national database, this woman’s name is Jocelyn Chalmers. She was born in nineteen twenty.”
A faint gasp sounded in the room.
Was she Jocelyn Chalmers? Why couldn’t she remember?
Silence ensued.
“Obviously, that can’t be right,” the doctor said, his tone flustered. “Look at her. She’s got to be in her mid-twenties.”
Was she that age? Why didn’t she know?
Agitation shoved its way into the divide of her body, taking over peace altogether.
“Check again.” The man’s request sounded more like an order.
“I confirmed the information three times because I didn’t believe it myself. I even had Zach confirm for me.”
Clothing rustled above her head.
“What does that mean?” the other woman said.
The doctor’s warm breath washed over her face. “I don’t know...”
She heard him step away, his footsteps echoing in the distance. “Take her fingerprints again, just to be sure, then get her over to radiology.”
“Yes, doctor.”
“Regardless of who she is, she needs our care. While you do that, I’m going to make a call.”